The Choice
by Unbiased Abyss
Summary: Up for adoption.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Sarutobi, the God of Shinobi, the Professor, looked out of his office window and over the village of Konoha. It was raining, appropriate it seemed, as he dwelled in his memories. He had done many things in his life and had many regrets but only one was at the fore front of his mind right now. Naruto, the Fourth Hokage's son, the container of the Kyuubi, and the most hated person in the village. Hiruzen felt his heart ach for the boy, if only he could make the hate go away, if only those fools would see that he isn't the Kyuubi, but if onlys never helped anyone.

Hiruzen sighed sadly as he sat down in his chair and pulled out his pipe. Naruto was seven, living in an orphanage. He got a report every month from ANBU and the caretaker of the orphanage the Naruto was doing well, he didn't believe them for second. He knew that Naruto wasn't having a great life, even a good one, but at least he had a roof over his head and a warm bed to sleep in.

At the same time that Hiruzen was thinking about Naruto sleeping in a warm bed the truth couldn't be farther away. Naruto was currently walking through alleys heading to the only place he could call safe. Not a home, he may have only been seven but with all the things he had seen in his short life he had to mature fast and he knew that a home was were you felt loved, he didn't have a place like that. He had only one thing going for him right now and that was the fact that he had started the ninja academy last year. Because of the peace times that the Elemental Countries were experiencing, the Third Hokage and the Council had raised the graduation age of the academy to 15. Naruto tsk at that, it was only done because he had entered the academy and he knew that they only did it because they wanted to keep a close watch on their container. Well, maybe not the Third but Naruto wasn't sure.

Naruto had found out he was the container of the Kyuubi during one of his beatings that the villagers gave him. When he had woken up in the hospital with the Third sitting close by. He had first been happy to see him but when he found out the reason the Third was there he became cold toward him, not knowing if he could trust him or not. The first thing the Third had done was tell him that the villagers were only calling him names and that he wasn't the container of the Kyuubi. Yeah, right. He may have been five at the time but he knew that the Third was lying. So, he put on his stupid smile and said that he knew that and that it was very mean for the villagers to say that.

Naruto shook his head, making water fly off his hair. The rain was getting harder and the temperature was dropping but he didn't care, not like he could get sick. He turned right and walked down an alley and was so lost in thought that he almost missed the sound of crying. He stopped abruptly and listened. It sounded weak, like the last desperate attempts of being noticed. Naruto followed the sound to a soaked news paper that was covering something. He pulled the news paper away and stared at what he found.

It was clearly a baby girl and he could tell that she was only a recent new born because of the umbilical cord that was still attached. It was clipped off with a paper clip. The baby muddy, still bloody from the birthing process, and was lying on the cold-hard ground. Who ever put her here didn't even have the decency to put a blanket under her. She had a truf of white hair and her eyes were barely open showing her grey eyes.

That was when it hit him that he had a choice. He could leave this baby here and let it die or he could take her with him. Naruto may have hated the villagers but he didn't have anything against the baby but he was barely getting enough food for himself and he didn't even know how to take care of a baby.

Naruto took a step away and said, "Sorry kid, but I can't-" He was cut off when the baby started to cough. He immediately picked the baby up and made sure she was alright and then he groaned. Now he had to keep her. He looked down at the baby girl and said, "Looks like you're coming with me."

He took off his ragged shirt, which revealed his malnourished body. He warped her up in the shirt and then sighed, looks like he would have to start finding more food. He carried the baby gently and hushed her softly so that she stopped crying.

It took him ten more minutes to get to his destination. He walked up to the side of an ordinary apartment building and touched a specific part of the wall. It opened up for him and he stepped in quickly and closed the hidden door behind him. He walked down some stairs and looked down the hall that the stairs led to. On the right wall was a single door that led to a room that he kept all of the scrolls he had ever found when he was out searching for food. On the left was as a single door way that led to another hall.

In that hall their were five doors, two on each side, and a single door at the end it. Each of those led to a bedroom, each their own bathroom. The door that the hall ended at opened to the kitchen, dinning room, living room combo. He had found this place when he was running away from a mob of villagers.

He had ran down the alley and when he realized that it was dead end he simple gave up and put his hand against the wall. He watched in awe as a seal light up at his touch and the door opened, causing him to fall in. The door shut behind him before any one had seen what happened. This was the one place he felt safe, his sanctuary.

He got startled when the baby started crying softly and he hurried to his room, the room that the hall ended at. He ran into the bath room and turned on the hot water. He grabbed several towels and made a quick bed for her and, after setting her in it, he grabbed a rag and started to clean her.

It took him a while to fully clean the baby and after he was done he ran into a problem, what was she going to wear? He sighed as he picked her up ad walked into his bedroom. He grabbed the softest blanket he had and wrapped her tightly in it. Right now he was going by what he had seen new parents doing to their babies as they left the hospital. The cleaning was obvious, she had been filthy.

Naruto walked over to a dresser and pulled it open. It held a large amount of clothing, all of it was too large for him, and he grabbed a black shirt. Carrying the black shirt in one hand and the baby cradled in his other arm, he exited his room and went to the kitchen. The kitchen was one of his favorite rooms in his 'home.' It was large and when someone first entered it they would have to notice the left of the room first. The flooring was a dark wood and against the wall he had counter space, a sink, a stove, and a fridge. The counter made a sort of U with two sides against the wall and the last was coming out of the wall to make a bar like table. To the right the floor was a black carpet and had black leather furniture situated around a fireplace that was in the far corner. Mounted above the fireplace was a flat screen TV, which was always on just for the noise it brought.

He sat down at the bar and managed to place the baby on the counter comfortably. He placed the shirt down and went over to the fridge. He opened it and he mind hit a brick wall, what do babies eat? He went to grab for the milk, thinking why the hell not when he heard something on the TV. "You should never feed a newborn water or cow milk. Serious and fatal conditions can arise from doing both."

"Then what do I feed her, smart ass?"

As if the women on the TV heard him she said, "You should only feed newborns breast milk or formula."

Naruto got a tick mark on him forehead and about swore when he saw the container the women held up. He remembered grabbing a container looking just like that last week. When he had opened it and it had tasted like crap so he had thrown it out. He rushed over to his trash can and after a few minutes of digging he grinned in triumph but frowned when he was present with another problem, how did he feed it to her.

"This is how you prepare formula..."

Naruto glared at the TV and said, "I don't know if I should hate you or be thanking you."

He watched and memorized how to make formula and was ready to yell his thanks to Kami when he remember that one of the rooms had a bottle in it. He picked up the baby and moved as quickly as he dared to the room. After grabbing the bottle and setting the baby back on the counter he went about cleaning the bottle and then preparing the formula exactly like the TV had told him. When it was finally at a proper temperature, he cradled the baby and, after a slight bit of hesitation, he stuck it into the baby's mouth who immediately started to suck.

Naruto let out a sigh of relief and waited patently until the baby was done and was about to set her back down when the TV said, "And remember parents, always burp your baby after you feed them."

Naruto turned his head slowly toward the TV and, after shooting it the bird, he grabbed a rag, placed it over his shoulder, and proceeded to burp the baby. It only took a few pats before she let out a small burp. She went to sleep immediately after words and Naruto set her down on the counter once again. He listened to the TV as he worked on the shirt. He grabbed one of the kunai he had on him, he had found it after he woke up from a beating, and he cut the shirt. He had to go get two more shirts but after two hours of cutting and sewing he managed to make two shirts, two pants, and four cloth dippers for the baby.

He dressed the baby carefully and after watching the rest of the show that had helped him so much, he went into his bedroom and laid down with the baby nestled between him and his right arm. He leaned over and said, "You need a name." He thought for a few seconds before smiling and saying, "I always liked that name Akara."

Naruto woke up in the middle of the night in a flurry of motion. He calmed down immediately when he noticed that it was Akara crying. That was when he remembered from the TV that babies needed to be fed regularly. After getting formula made and settling down on the leather sofa he thought about how much formula he had left. Only about three more days worth, he would have to find someplace to get some.

His eyes widened when he finally realized that he wouldn't be able to bring Akara to the academy. Not only because he just couldn't but also because if anyone saw her with him they would most likely try to kill her. He groaned, the only thing he had going for him was the academy and now he didn't have even that. He looked down at Akara and sighed. Then his head flick up with the thought, _I have scrolls in my scroll room, maybe one can help me._

He got up and walked toward the scroll room. He wasn't a fool and knew that he would have to get his chakra control up before he would get to even try a jutsu but he still decided to look for a jutsu first anyway. He had all the scrolls organized by element, control exercise, and other. He went through all the elemental jutsu scroll he had but none of the names sounded like they might help him. He went over to the other section and stopped when he saw scroll labeled, Shadow Clone Jutsu.

He pulled it out and looked at how old it was. The paper was nearly brown and it had rips and tares in it everywhere. He sat down at a desk he had in the room and set Akara, who had finished her bottle while he was looking and was now asleep, on his lap. When he was sure she was comfortable he opened the scroll and began to read, something he had to teach himself how to do.

_The shadow clone jutsu is a jutsu that creates a perfect clone of the user. The clone is solid, unlike the lower level clone jutsu. To perform this jutsu simple make ram seals on both hands and cross them. This jutsu takes a large amount of chakra, use with caution._

Naruto smiled when he saw that this was what he was looking for and was about to roll it back up when he noticed that there was some writing on the still rolled area of the scroll. He unrolled it and found that the writing was by some one else. The other writing was ridged and difficult to read but this was flowing and easily made out.

_To the reader of this scroll, there are some things that this doesn't tell you, so I have taken it upon myself to explain some things about this technique. The first being, any thing the clone learns the creator learns as well. This is incredibly useful for training, house work, and anything else that you could use an extra set of hands for. The creator will not get any physical advantage from the clone, that must be done by the creator themselves._

_The second thing is the forming of the clone. This jutsu does take a bit of chakra but not as much as most believe. When people try this jutsu they perform it with the goal of making a bushin solid. This is a terrible approach to mastering and even using this jutsu. When performing this jutsu it is easiest to invision yourself in two places and then force it to happen with your chakra. This sounds confusing, I know, but when you finally perform the jutsu for the first time you'll understand._

_I'm writing this part as a chakra control exercise program that anyone, even Genin, can do it and eventually get to the control needed for the shadow clone jutsu._

_Leaf stick_

_Tree walking_

_Ceiling walking_

_Water walking_

_At this point, when you can water walk easily, you should be ready for the shadow clone jutsu. Always remember, true strength comes from the will to protect the ones you hold dear._

_Seo_

Naruto rolled the scroll back up slowly and wrote down the exercises that Seo had said to do. He checked to see if he had any scrolls on the exercises that were listed and found that he had one on the leaf stick and tree walking. The other three he would have to find or work out himself.

The next thing he thought of was that if he would eventually need money, but no one would hire him. Maybe there was a jutsu that he could learn that would make him look different. He went to the other section and found a scroll that was labeled, Henge. After reading it he smiled, somehow it looked like things were looking up.

(One Month Later)

Iruka was worried sick. Naruto hadn't been to class in a month and he had never missed a single day since he stared the academy. Sure Iruka had hated the boy but that changed when he saw under the boy's heavy shirt. No demon would let themselves starve and now that he thought about it Naruto never did have a lunch with him.

Iruka had told the Third, who also shared his worry and was there, checking to see if the boy showed up to class.

"Do you think he's-"

"Don't finish that sentence," Sarutobi cut Iruka off. "If he's not here today I'll have a talk with him."

"You know where he is?"

"Yes, I have ANBU watching him at all times. The orphanage is taking good care of him last I heard."

Iruka nodded and turned to the door as it slid open. He smiled as his class came in and his eyes widened when he saw Naruto walk in as the last one in. "Naruto, come over here, please."

Naruto walked over scratching the back of his head and said, "Sorry about not being here. I had some things to take care of."

"What things?" Sarutobi asked.

"You know, Jiji, things," Naruto said with a big grin and his eyes squinted.

"Well, tell me next time you plan on taking such a long break," Iruka said.

"You got it!" In the back of Naruto's head he was thinking, _The creator owes me for this big time._

Naruto smiled as he got up from doing the last of his push ups and walked over to the clone that was holding Akara. Even with his young age he had grown to view her as his kid.

The shadow clones had been a life saver and even now he had some in the scroll room reading, memorizing, and understanding the lower level jutsu scrolls. He would have to practice with them to be able to use the jutsu effectively but this way he didn't have to read the scrolls one at a time. Besides that the clones also made it so that he could get money. A simple Henge and the clones would go out to find any and all odd jobs that they could and then come back with the money on them. He had a nice savings at the moment but he knew that if he ever did buy something as himself the price would be ridiculously increased, believe him he tried once. He drew comfort from the fact that he now had a steady supply of food, baby formula, and dippers. He looked as Akara and smiled, he would get stronger for her.

* * *

Be sure to review, follow, and favorite. It is the best way to show your support to authors.

Until next time...  
Unbiased Abyss


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

**(Time skip- three years)**

"Daddy!" yelled a little girl, her long white hair blowing in the wind. She was waving toward a man that was leaning against one of the trees that grew in the park.

The man looked up, his white hair was cut short. He had been reading a scroll but was now expertly rolling it up in one smooth motion. He stood into a crouch just in time to catch the white-haired girl who had rushing into him and was now give him a large hug. He smiled and said, "Looks like it's time to go, Akara."

The girl nodded and yawned while rubbing her eyes.

"Are you tired?"

She nodded and wrapped her arms around the man's neck as he picked her up. The man waved as best he could that the other parents that waved his way on his walk out of the park. The man stopped by the market for a quick purchase and then was walking again. He nodded in the direction of some women that were eyeing him but continued walking out of the market. The only thing that was on his mind at the moment was getting home and getting his daughter to bed. Little did he know that that would be the farthest thing on it in only a few minutes.

"Inu," Hiruzen Sarutobi said to the ANBU that was standing next to him, "have you ever seen that man before?" He pointed to a white haired man who was carrying an equally white haired child and a bag of groceries. He himself was passing through the market on a walk when he had noticed the man.

"No, Hokage," the ANBU answered, "I've never seen that man before."

Hiruzen frowned. While it wasn't strange that he didn't know every villager in the village it did stick him as strange that this man and child had white hair, not a normal hair color, and he couldn't even remember seeing them once. "Let's go have a talk, shall we?"

The white-haired man stopped walking as he watched two swirls of smoke and leaves appear in his way. Out of the smoke came an ANBU wearing a dog mask and the Third Hokage. The Third gave him a questioning look before saying, "I'm afraid we've never met before."

"Not that I recall, Hokage-Sama," replied the white haired man.

"Call me Hiruzen, you're not one of my Shinobi so no need for formalities..."

"Seo."

"Seo?"

"That is what my friends call me, Hiruzen-san."

"Daddy?" came the soft and tired voice of the little girl that Seo was carrying.

"Yes, little one, we're almost home. Daddy's just talking to someone," Seo said as he adjusted his grip somewhat. She nodded into his shoulder and went back to her sleep. "I'm sorry, but I have to get her home."

"Then I guess I can't beat around the bush, mind telling me why your under a henge?" Hiruzen asked, his voice was ice. The ANBU next to him pulled out a kunai slowly.

Seo's face didn't change when he looked at Hiruzen and he said, "If you want to know then come with me to my home, other whys I'll have to leave you wanting."

"I'll just have you arrested"

"For what? For walking around in a henge? Did you ever think that I might be hiding something embarrassing."

"I think you're hiding something."

"I'm a citizen of Konoha, I don't have to show you anything, Hokage. You have control over the Shinobi but the Civilian Council has control over the villagers. Now," he fixed the Third a glare, "if you want to know what's under this henge, then follow me."

Hiruzen stared hard at the man before he nodded and stepped to the side so that Seo could pass. He whispered as the man walked past, "Try anything and ANBU will be all over you."

Seo glanced at him and said, "Do you really think I would put my child in any danger?"

Seo walked down the road, taking the occasional turn before he walked into a dead end alley way. Hiruzen got ready for the man to turn and attack but was mystified when the man put his free hand on the wall of the dead-end and a seal flared to life for a split second. With a slight push, Seo opened a door and stepping down some stairs. Inu went in first and Hiruzen followed after and closed the door. If it was opened again he would hear it and know that people were coming.

Seo walked the two into a kitchen-living room of sorts and pointed to the couches and said, "Make yourselves comfortable while I put her to bed."

"Inu, follow him," Hiruzen commanded.

Inu nodded and followed Seo out of the kitchen and into a hallway. Seo took a right turn into a room and when Inu walked in he found it to be a bedroom, a little girls room to be exact. He watched Seo set the girl on the bed and take her shoes off. He watched the clear fatherly love as the man brought the covers over the girl and gave her a kiss on her forehead. Inu backed out and let Seo closed the door softly and then followed him to the kitchen to see that Hiruzen had taken a seat at the bar.

"Mind removing your henge now," Hiruzen said as he took out his pipe.

"You had better not smoke in my house, Jiji," Seo said as he walked around the bar to the fridge.

The Third dropped his pipe which landed on the counter. "You can't be, Naruto?"

A puff of smoke enveloped Seo as he opened the fridge and when the smoke dissipated Naruto was standing in his place. He didn't look away from putting the groceries away and said, "Yeah, it's me, Jiji. Nice to see you too, Inu."

"You remember me?" Inu asked.

"How could I forget, you were the only ANBU that was assigned to watch me that did your job," Naruto answered with a fleeting glance at Inu.

"But, Naruto, okay, stop. First, what are you doing here and not in the orphanage?" Hiruzen asked.

"Jiji, I was kicked out of that place when I turned four years old. I found this place when I was about six."

"Kicked out...where did you go during those two years in between?" the Third asked slowly, not sure he wanted an answer.

"I lived on the street but I slept alright, the mobs made sure of that," Naruto answered as he closed the fridge and pulled a cutting board out form a cabinet. He began to wash some the veggies he had bought and said, "Granted I did loss a bit of blood in the process."

The elderly Sarutobi swallowed the lump in his throat and said, "I'm sorry, Naruto. If I had known-"

"You didn't, so it's not your fault."

"But I could have done something."

"Yeah, you could have. You could have visited me, actually visited me, and don't give me that crap about you being to busy. You and I both know that if you really wanted to visit, you would have. You're the Hokage, who's going to question you? Besides, I know that you didn't want that to happen to me," Naruto said, not in an accusing voice, but he said it like facts that had happened.

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't apologize. You didn't know, so if anyone should apologize it's the council. I've no doubt that they knew about my being kicked out of the orphanage."

Sarutobi started to talk again but his voice caught in his throat. Naruto noticed and got him a glass of water while saying, "Take a breathe and let it out."

Hiruzen accepted the glass with a thanks and took a drink. This time his voice didn't fail him and he asked, "Where did you learn to perform the Henge?"

"I learned it on my own," Naruto answered. He finished cleaning the veggies and set them on the cutting board and started to chop them slowly and carefully.

"On your own?" Inu asked.

"Yeah, in the room to right when you first walked into the entrance hall is where I keep all of my scrolls."

"Your scrolls?" Inu asked.

"You wouldn't believe the kind of things that people will throw away. Elemental jutsu scrolls, Sealing scrolls with stuff still in them, I found a katana in one of them, Taijutsu scrolls, Kenjutsu scrolls, and I have even found clan jutsu scrolls in the trash. Before ether of you two say that I'm not allowed to have any of that I'll repeat myself, I got them all from the trash. There's a law stating that once something is in the trash anyone can take it and I did."

"Don't worry Naruto, no one's going to talk your scrolls," Sarutobi assured him and he smiled when he saw the boy visibly relax.

"What about the girl?" asked Inu and Hiruzen felt like hitting him when he saw Naruto tense up.

"She's my daughter."

"You're daughter?" the Third asked.

"I found her when she was a newborn. She was in an ally with her umbilical cord still attached and a news paper as a blanket. I've raised her. She became my daughter the day I found her."

"Naruto, you're only ten. You can't raise a child much less yourself," Inu insisted.

"I was only seven, Inu, when I picked her up off the street."

"Hokage-sama, are you going to allow him to raise a child much less himself alone?"

Sarutobi felt both of their eyes on him and he felt a bead of sweat go down his back. He straightened himself and said, "I'm afraid I'm going to have to take-" He stopped speaking because of a knife stabbing into his cloak's collar. He looked at Naruto and saw that he still had his arm extended from the throw and had another kitchen knife in his other hand. Inu appeared behind Naruto and swiftly put a kunai to the boy's throat.

"Do you have any idea what you just did, Naruto?" Inu said roughly.

Naruto's eyes borrowed into the Thirds and he said evenly, "I'll kill any one who dares take my Akara away from me."

Hiruzen looked at the boy for a few seconds before saying, "She really means a lot to you."

"She gave me a home when I had none. A place that I could feel loved and I'll destroy anyone that tries to hurt her," Naruto said, his voice was lower and more menacing than before.

"Fine, she can stay."

"She can what?" Inu asked as Naruto relaxed in his grip. He let the boy go and watched him go back to cutting the veggies.

"She can stay. It's clear to me that she loves Naruto and he her, who am I to separate them?" Hiruzen asked Inu. Inu didn't answer and instead nodded slowly and went back to his set at the bar. "Now, I have another question for you, Naruto."

"Shoot," he said as he picked up the cutting board and dumped the cut veggies into a pot that was full of water. He set it on the stove and turned it to a boil.

"Why aren't you at the academy?"

Naruto turned to him and Hiruzen nearly choked. Instead of the grin that he usually saw on the boy's face it was a soft smile that held true humor and happiness in it unlike the silly grin. He had never seen Naruto smile like this and it warmed his heart that the boy still had the ability to have such a smile with the life he had lived. "I guess I can tell you, Jiji. I ran into that problem when I first found Akara. Tell me Jiji, how can a shadow go to the academy and I stay at home watching Akara at the same time?"

Hiruzen thought about it and the his jaw dropped open and he said, "Shadow Clone."

"Exactly right, you really are the Professor, Jiji."

"But that's a Kinjutsu, who do you know it?"

"One of the oldest scrolls I've ever found contained it along with a man by the name of Seo's notations on it. Those were a life saver, let me tell you."

"It must be very old if it contains the Shadow Clone Jutsu, it had to have been made before that jutsu was added to the Forbidden Scroll. V.T. was the name you went by under your Henge, do you know what the initials stand for?"

"No idea, but who ever he is, I've got to thank him and maybe try to find more scrolls that he might have written in or written himself. There is something I wanted to ask you, Jiji. That is this place, I mean it's my home but...what was it made for?"

The Third nodded and said, "I was amazed that you were able to open it because I had thought they were all destroyed. This was a base for a troop of enemy nin that were spying on us during the last Shinobi War. I've no doubt that you noticed that you have electricity, water, and all other essentials. This is because the spys, that's what they were, tapped into the main electric grid and water line. With the amounts of each that are used in the village daily we never noticed that they were using it. You got in because, and I am only guessing mind you, they might have heard about the other bases being found and so they fled. One of them must have erased their chakra signature on the door because that seal was a chakra seal."

"I'll start paying for the electric and water I use this month," Naruto said as he pulled some meat out of the fridge and began cutting it into strips.

"I'm sure Konoha will be fine with missing some water and electricity. Besides, you've used it this long with out anyone noticing, I don't see any problem."

Naruto gave Hiruzen a look before nodding and saying, "Thanks."

Naruto and Hiruzen talked long after that and even Inu got involved in the conversation. When Naruto offered them supper they gladly accepted and were touched as they watched Naruto wipe Akara's, whom he got up to eat, face with a napkin anytime she was a little messy. Hiruzen was impressed by how quiet the girl was, even when she was talking, and when he asked Naruto about it he had said that she even cried softly as a baby. The only reason he would get up to feed her was because he was an incredibly light sleeper. It was easy to tell the love he held for the girl was far past sibling and that he truly did think of himself as her father and she his daughter. Hiruzen smiled brightly anytime she would call Naruto daddy, him Jiji, and Inu Doggy and it was at those times that he knew he had made the right choice in letting her stay with Naruto.

Hiruzen smiled as he and Inu walked back to the Hokage Tower. It was dark out now, they had spent a fair amount of time at Naruto's and Hiruzen felt better than he had in years. Things were finally looking up.

Naruto closed the door after Hiruzen and Inu stepped out and shook his head at how fast Inu had eaten the veggies and beef soup. Did the man even take the mask off or did he just absorb the food through it?

He walked into the kitchen and found Akara sleeping at the table with her head on the table. He smile and picked her up. After getting her pajamas on and tucking her in for the night, he went into his scroll room. He walked down the middle ally that his scroll shelves made and when he reached the wall, he reached down, and pulled on a short strand of ninja wire. The wire pulled up a space of the floor and when he looked in he saw a ladder going down to an underground dojo.

These spy guys had things great, only thing they needed was food. That was one thing that Naruto never forgot. He may have had to pay for food, clothing, and what ever else he needed but he didn't have to pay for housing and by the graces of Jiji electricity or water. He may have found the place but he will never take what was given to him for advantage.

Naruto climbed down into the basement and saw his three Shadow Clones working. One was working on Taijutsu, the next was working on chakra control, and the last was throwing kunai and shuriken. He had two up in the scroll room and during the day he sent out two to make money and one to the academy. That came to eight clones before he dared not make anymore with his level of chakra. He had made one more once and was out cold with chakra exhaustion the next two days. He breathed deep and began his work out. When he finished, he dispelled his clones, took a shower, and went to bed thinking of the next day.

* * *

Be sure to review, follow, and favorite. It is the best way to show your support to authors.

Until next time...  
Unbiased Abyss


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

**(Time skip - Five years later)**

"Akara, breakfast is ready!" Naruto called as he dumped some eggs onto a plate and set it on the counter. Naruto had matured much physically over the years and now stood at 5'9". He had his diet of food that he didn't find and eat from the trash to blame for the height growth. His body was lean but the muscle he had was no joke as they flexed and rippled under his clothing. Many things where going to change that day an his cloths were one of them.

He had worn that hideous orange jumpsuit and larger sizes of it since he was nine and that day was the day he could finally stop wearing it. On him now was a skin-tight black shirt that went up his neck a short ways and didn't have sleeves. He had a black jacket on a nearby chair that he wore over his shirt. It was an ordinary jacket with no markings on it anywhere and he left it open when he wore it. His pants were black Shinobi pants that went down to his black combat boots. He had his kunai pouch on his right leg and on his hands were black fingerless gloves. On the back of the gloves he had expertly sewn on the symbol of the leaf with silver thread. His hair was grown out somewhat and had finally given way to gravity and stopped spiking up, to his thanks. His whisker marks had faded somewhat and they went across his face in a way that only made him look even more handsome.

Akara entered the room and sat down at the table. She was eight now and stood at 3'7" and was about fifty pounds. Naruto theorized that she was born prematurely and that was the cause of her being smaller than normal. Her white hair was like snow and went all the way down to about a quarter down on her thigh. She was wearing a white cloth sun dress that she wore when she went to sleep. He wore black pajama pants when he went to bed and didn't blame her that she didn't switch out of her pajamas right away since they were always comfortable. When she was ready for the day she would wear black combat boot, black Shinobi pants, a kunai pouch strapped on her right thigh, and on her hands were black fingerless gloves. For a shirt she wore a skin-tight shirt that didn't go up the neck and didn't have sleeves. Over that she wore a black battle kimono that stopped at the middle of her thigh and had white trimmings.

"Thank you, Otou-san," she said in her normal quiet voice that had only a hint of tiredness in it.

"You're class are shortened today because of the graduation tests," Naruto said as he sat down and started to eat next to her.

"Are you going to finally start acting like yourself?"

"Mostly."

"Mostly?"

"I'm not truly myself until I can claim that your my daughter and I can only do that after I graduate and get put on a team. That way no one will try to hurt you or they will be charged with treason for attacking a Konoha Shinobi's family. I only hope that stops them," He finished worriedly.

Akara nodded. She knew how much it meant for him to publicly tell people that she was his daughter, she wanted it just as much if not more. It was hard on her, acting like she didn't know her own father when she saw him at the academy.

The academy was something that bored her senseless, how did she wish that she had enough chakra to perform the Shadow Clone Jutsu but since she wasn't a walking chakra monster like her father she had to make do with what she had. She was the top of her class easily and it was already known that she would be the rookie of the year when she graduated. She had her Otou-san to thank for that. He had started training her at a young age, first with games that thought her important skills and then with actual training.

She was eight and could perform the academy three easily, heck if they had early graduations anymore she would be graduating with her father just because of her smarts. Her Otou-san had started to teach himself years ago and he was currently at the intelligence of a Chunin. When he noticed that she was bored with the things that the academy was teaching her he had taken it upon himself to teach her everything he thought she would need to know, which was a lot. It was because of his teachings that she was able to perform complex calculations in her head. He had called her a protégé once and she had told him that if she was a protégé then he was a god because he knew far more than her when he was her age. Much of that knowledge was learned from his time on the street but he knew it none-the-less.

"I love you, Otou-san," she said quietly. She may not speak much but that was one thing she always said to her Otou-san when she had the chance.

"I love you too, Akara, more then you will ever know," he replied with his real smile, the soft one that he would wear when she had nightmares and would crawl into his bed when she was four.

Naruto walked into the classroom and immediately all eyes were on him. The reason, he wasn't wearing his jumpsuit and his normal stupid grin. His face was set into a serious look that told anyone that he wasn't the same Naruto they once knew. He walked over to Shikamaru and sat down next to him and not in his usual spot next tot where Sakura always sat.

"You're finally acting like yourself?" Shikamaru asked as he looked up from his bent over position. He had been trying to sleep when Naruto walked in. He had figured out that Naruto was acting stupid years ago but had promised to not tell anyone body saying that it would have been to 'troublesome.'

"Why not? Graduation is today and team selection is the week after that, sounds like as good time as any to me," Naruto said as he leaned back in his chair.

"Troublesome."

Naruto nodded at that and then closed his eyes as well and waited for the class to start. It was only a few minutes before he heard the sound of stomping feet. He wasn't surprised when he heard yelling soon after.

"I made it first, Ino-pig!"

"No you didn't, Forehead!"

Leave it to Ino and Sakura to all the attention from him when it was starting to get annoying. He listened with little interest to the two fight over the spot next to Sasuke and eventually Iruka-Sensei walked in and yelled, "Shut up and sit down, everyone!"

After everyone one was seated Iruka looked over the classroom and when he spotted Naruto, the new Naruto, he raised and eyebrow. He quickly concluded the change to the boy finally growing up and began his speech about the test.

Naruto tuned out the speech and only opened his eyes when the written test was placed on his desk. He looked at it for a second and then look over to a grinning Mizuki, the bastard had changed the Genin test with a Chunin test. Naruto smiled and shook his head, it wasn't like it mattered he could answer these questions easily enough, but he didn't trust Mizuki to grade his test correctly.

Naruto raised his hand slightly and when Iruka walked over he said, "Iruka-Sensei, I believe I was given the wrong test."

Iruka picked up the test and after looking at the first question he said, "I don't know how this happened but this is a Chunin test, Naruto. Hold on, I'll get you the Genin test." Asa Iruka walked over to his desk he missed Mizuki's irate face and the smile that flashed onto Naruto's face.

Naruto finished the test with twenty minutes remaining, so he flipped it over ad laid his head down on it. Only a few seconds passed before Shikamaru took up the same position. The twenty minutes passed and everyone was herded outside for the kunai-shuriken throwing test. Naruto sighed, yet another pathetically easy test for him to do. While they did raise the ages for the graduation, the Civilian Council never came up with what to teach the older students. Iruka took the time to teach them more history, math, and geography but Naruto thought that he should have used the time for teaching elemental manipulation, a new taijutsu, and, something that peaked Naruto's interest, sealing.

The throwing test was rather simple, you were given eight kunai and eight skuriken and asked to throw them as fast as you could at the targets. The targets had bull's-eyes all over them in places that would be deemed lethal. Naruto never saw the point in the test, since the dummies weren't moving this only tested the throws when they are under the perfect conditions which never happened so the test really tested nothing at all. Naruto didn't blame Iruka for this though; he really did care for each of his students and really thought it would help them in their futures.

Naruto watched as Iruka called names and those who were called walk up and accept the weapons. They would then throw them, some at a rather good speed and others at a speed that a second year student could beat. He almost laughed when Shikamaru was called. The lazy bastard only threw five kunai and four shuriken before dropping the rest and while Naruto knew what he was doing, it was still funny none the less.

"Choji must appreciate how hard your working to make sure he's on your team," Naruto said when Shikamaru sat down next to him.

"This is all just troublesome. It's not like I need to, their probably going to put us on the same team as Ino to revive the Ino-Shika-Cho team."

Naruto nodded and turned his eyes back to the tests. From all the sudden squeals from the girls he knew that Sasuke Uchiha was up. Sasuke, that was one person that Naruto just didn't like. He could tolerate him, but then he could tolerate a lot thanks to the villagers. The boy just rubbed him the wrong way. He was broody, egotistical, and thought himself better than everyone because of his clan. While Itachi did slaughter much of the Uchiha clan, which he, Naruto, didn't fully believe, Itachi did leave Sasuke's mother and several others of his clan's people. The loss had to be hard but the brat didn't have to think he was the only one suffering.

As expected, Sasuke took top marks, missing a single bull's-eyes by about a centimeter. Naruto sighed when his name was called and he walked over to get his weapons. He was cautious because it was Mizuki giving them to him and when he inspected them her found that they were unsharpened. After running his finger over each blade to feel the sharpness and quick calculation of how much force would be needed to penetrate the wood, Naruto swiped his hands toward the target and let the weapons fly. It was quiet as he walked back to his spot next to Shikamaru.

"Not a single one missed," Iruka said mystified before writing the score down.

"But, Iruka-Sensei, no one can beat Sasuke-kun, especially the dobe," Sakura said.

Iruka looked at her and said, "You will call him by his name, Sakura, and as far as beating Sasuke, he clearly did." Before any other fangirls could complain Iruka held up his hand and said, "Time for the last test, everyone inside."

The last test was to perform the Academy Three and it made Naruto want to actually hit something. They raised graduation ages but they didn't even raise the standards that they had. It was so stupid that it was funny. Naruto laid his head down as the names called. He had no fear of this test because with the chakra control he gained from training at such an early age he had done each of the Academy Three on his first try, Henge he already knew, and it only took him a days worth of dedication the master the three. His definition of master was to perform the jutsu without hand seals faster than he could with hand seals. It was a high standard but perfectly possibly once you get used to the flow of the chakra during the jutsu. After that you simple mimic the flow and there you have it. Of course, it does take time to get used to doing it without hand seals but once you get the hang of it you can go faster and faster until it can be done in a split second.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto got up and walked into the room that the final test was being performed in and saw Iruka and Mizuki sitting behind a desk.

"Alright, Naruto," Iruka said, "perform a Henge."

Naruto used the hand seals, why show all his secrets, Dog-Boar-Tiger, "Henge." After a poof of smoke standing in Naruto's place was a perfect representative of Iruka.

"Very good," Iruka said and Naruto stopped the henge. "Now use a Kawarimi no Jutsu with that log set up there, he pointed to a log that was leaning against the far wall.

Naruto again went through the hand seals and called the jutsu and after a poof of smoke the log was in his place.

"Good and now to the last one. Please make three separate Bunshin and good luck, Naruto," Iruka said with hope on his face.

Naruto had pretended to have trouble with the jutsu from the day it was taught in class but he was acting then and this time was different. He went throw the hands seals and when he called the jutsu three poofs of smoke appeared around him. When the smoke went away there were three perfect Bunshin waiting.

Iruka smiled widely and said, "Great job, Naruto, you passed!"

"Thanks, Iruka-Sensei," Naruto said as the clones disappeared and he grabbed a black clothed hitae-ate. He looked at it for a moment before asking, "Would it be alright if I got this put into the back of my glove?"

"Well, you would have to have it cut to size but I don't see any problem in it," Iruka answered.

Naruto nodded and walked out of the room. He heard all of the talking stop when he walked back into the classroom and when they didn't see a hitae-ate on him Kiba yelled, "Typical the dobe didn't pass!"

Naruto just gave him a glance before he raised his hand that was holding the hitae-ate and then sat down next to Shikamaru. Iruka and Mizuki walked in a few minutes later and after a long speech by Iruka they were told that team selection would be in one week at eight in the morning. Naruto walked out of the building and saw all of the adults waiting for their kids. His heart twinge a bit, not because he wanted someone to be waiting for him but because he couldn't wait to be in their places waiting for Akara to come out with a hitae-ate on.

He walked past the crowd and shrugged off the comments that he heard from them. He want home immediately and when he finally walked into the kitchen he smiled when he saw Akara reading a scroll while sitting on the leather sofa. He was still amazed and saddened by how mature she was for her age and if she wasn't his daughter and was taller he would swear that she was his age. He didn't know quiet when she started to become so mature but he did know when it started. That day still scared the hell out of him and he shook his to get rid of the thought.

The sound from him shaking his head alerted Akara of his presence and she didn't look away from her scroll as she said, "I kind of want to go to Ichiraku's."

He smiled, "Did you want to celebrate?"

She nodded as she rolled the scroll up and placed it on the coffee table. She stood up with a grace that defied her age and walked over to Naruto. She gave his a tight hug and said, "It may have been a simple test, but I'm proud of you Otou-san."

He laughed slightly as he hugged her back and said, "If I wasn't your Otou-san I would have said that you were being sarcastic. Thank you, Akara."

Naruto didn't have a henge on as he and Akara got seated at the ramen bar. He had come here a lot when he was younger and trusted Teuchi and Ayame with not only his life but the life of his daughter, that was quiet a bit of trust. They were also the only ones, not including the Third and Inu, that he had ever told about Akara.

"Naruto, Akara, what brings you two here?" Ayame asked as she walked over from the other side of the bar. They was no one else in the bar at the moment.

"Well, I graduated from the academy today and Akara thought we should celebrate and wanted to come here," Naruto said with a smile. He knew the reason she wanted to come here. He liked ramen but it wasn't his favorite meal to have, no the reason she had said this place was because they had loved one here that would congratulate him for his passing.

"Did you? Good job Naruto!" Ayame said and ran around the bar to give him a hug.

"What's this I hear about graduating?" Teuchi asked as he walked out from the back.

"Otou-san, Naruto graduated form the academy today," Ayame said.

Teuchi smiled and said, "Well then, I guess you can eat on the house today, you two."

Naruto bowed his head and after saying thank you he ordered some food. Akara ordered after him and soon the time was passed with talking and laughter.

* * *

"Damn, I can't believe he passed," Mizuki yelled as he hit another tree. "Now, who can I get to steal the scroll? Wait, if I told him... yeah that'll work."

* * *

Be sure to review, follow, and favorite. It is the best way to show your support to authors.

Until next time...  
Unbiased Abyss


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

"A test to become a Chunin?" Naruto asked in curiosity.

"Yeah," Mizuki said nodding, "it's a test that's only given to a single person every graduation and you're the one that was chosen."

"Is Iruka going to help with this test?"

"No, only I and the Hokage know about it," Mizuki said. "Now, do you want to take the test?"

Naruto thought it over in his head and then nodded, "Sure, what do I have to do?"

"Great! This test is actually pretty hard but I have confidence that you can do it. So here's what you have to do, in the Hokage's office there is a scroll, a large scroll. It's called, the Forbidden Scroll, but the name hides what it actually is. It's actually a scroll that holds many jutsu and a test taker must learn one of in only a few hours. You show stealth by getting in and getting the scroll, don't worry about being punished by the guards they know about the test, and you show that you have an understanding of high level jutsu by learning one."

"Sounds good to me, anything else I need to know?"

Mizuki explained where, specifically, the scroll was, what time to meet him, and where. After all that was done he left with a simple, "Good luck."

Naruto watched the spot that Mizuki was standing in before thinking, _Does he really think I'm that big of an idiot. Maybe I took it a little too far while acting like a fool. _Naruto shrugged and went back to what he was doing before Mizuki had pulled him aside. He walked down the street read the names of the shops as he passed them. Most kicked him out, some let him in but overcharged him for faulty products, but there were some that would let him buy things at a fair price, that some being one.

He walked into the Flying Dragon, a Shinobi weapon store. He didn't waste time looking at the many weapons that were on the wall as he walked up to the counter. He knew that he was unnaturally quiet when he walked and ran, it came from years of getting away from mobs, but he didn't think he could get all the way to the desk without the girl sitting behind it noticing. The girl's name was Tenten, she had introduced herself to him the last time he was here, and she had on a pink sleeveless blouse and dark green pants, her hair was kept in two separate buns that were kept on opposite sides of her head, and her hitae-ate was on her forehead. She had apparently graduated last year from what she told him. She was behind the counter because her family owned the store and, for some reason, the parents were alright with him shopping here.

"How are you today, Tenten?" Naruto asked.

Tenten jumped into the air and landed clenching her heart while breathing erratically. She glared at him and said, "Don't do that!"

"I'm not allowed to ask how you're doing?"

"You know what I mean! Kami, I'm fine and I guess that you're here for your order?"

"Yes, I was told it would be done today."

Tenten nodded and pulled out a box that was under the counter. She opened it and inside was a pair of fingerless gloves. They looked exactly like the gloves he had on now, the only difference being that on the back of the gloves there was a metal square put in that had the leaf symbol on it. Tenten picked one up and said, "Otou-san did exactly as you asked. He specially forged these two metal plates to be thinner but just as strong as a Hitae-ate. He fitted them into the leather so that there are no metal edges popping out of the leather and mom managed to make the gloves to match perfectly to the ones you have now.

Naruto looked at the one she was holding and asked, "May I look at them?"

Tenten handed the one she was holding over while saying, "You may have a reputation for being rude but from what I've seen you the most polite guy I've ever met."

"I've pretended to be someone I'm not for a very long time so all rumors you hear about me are undoubtedly false. I'm polite because I hope that others will be polite back and it makes things go fast in some areas," Naruto said as he checked over the craftsmanship of the glove. It was truly well made and, if the other was like it, well worth the price.

"Ohhh, so you want this to go faster? What, do you want to get away from me?" Tenten asked with a sly smirk.

Naruto put the agreed amount on the counter and picked up the other glove. He smiled at her and said, "Who would want to get away from a beauty like you?" He turned and walked away from the counter but he didn't miss the gob smacked face that Tenten had on. Before he exited the store he turned his head back and said, "Thank your father and mother for me, they put hard work into these and I appreciate it." He looked back just long enough to see her nodded, her mouth still opened, and he exited the store.

He went home, taking the occasional wrong turn and, when he was sure no one was following him, he entered his home. He smiled at the seal at it flared and then the door opened. He had figured out during his study of seals how to add Akara's chakra to the seal on the door so that she could enter when she came home. He switched his old gloves with the new ones and gripped his hands a few times, stiff but they would loosen with wear. He walked over to the fridge and opened it while saying, "We're having Venison Stew tonight."

Akara, who was sitting at the counter with a scroll unraveled in front of her, said, "You should make that more often, Otou-san."

Naruto knew that the stew was her favorite dish that he made and he agreed with her, he should make it more often. Maybe he would invite Jiji and Kakashi over when he made it again. "The venison is still fresh from this morning. Akara, can you please cut some up and not as much as you did last time."

He smiled when he saw her blush slightly before going to get the venison that was in smoke room. He had been planning on making it into jerky but he could always get more. With Akara's help, he managed to get the stew done and finished eating in a hour and a halfs time.

"I'm going to be out tonight, Akara, so you can sleep in tomorrow. Anyways I think you need a days break from the morning workout," Naruto said as he cleaned the dishes.

Akara grabbed another dish and as she dried it she asked, "Why are you going to be out?"

"Mizuki, the academy taijutsu instructor, said that I can take a test to become a Chunin tonight."

"But, there is no such test."

"I know and that's why I'm going to be out tonight. I have to inform Jiji and then see what I can do to help catch Mizuki in the act. My word alone isn't enough, as it shouldn't, and Jiji will need some real physical evidence before he can do anything."

A moment of silence passed before Akara whispered, "Be careful, Otou-san."

Naruto looked softly at her and put an arm around her. He pulled her close and said, "I will, I promise I will."

**-The Choice-**

"So, Mizuki told you that?" Hiruzen said in contemplation. Naruto had just told him about Mizuki and now he waited for the Third's orders. Sarutobi stood up from his chair and walked over to the scroll cabinet. He opened it and pulled out a large scroll. Handing it to Naruto, he said, "It's risky but I want you to take the real Forbidden Scroll with you."

"But-"

"No buts Naruto. Anyway, there's something in there that you might find interesting and I want you to have it."

"Define: interesting."

"Something that is from the possession of Seo." Hiruzen smiled when he saw Naruto's eyes widen slightly.

"How long will I have? You and I both know that Mizuki will think something is suspicious if an emergency isn't called," Naruto said and he carefully took the scroll.

"That's why I'm going to give you about three hours before I call for Jonin to search for you."

"Support?" Naruto asked as he strapped the scroll to his back.

Sarutobi nodded and took a pull from his pipe. "Inu will be your support." A dog mask wearing ANBU appeared in the room.

Naruto raised an eyebrow and asked, "I thought you quit?"

"One of the ANBU bodyguards is sick and the Third here asked me to take his place until he's better. Should be done after this," Inu said.

Naruto nodded and turned his eyes back to the Hokage. His eyes, prematurely wise from experiences, and Hiruzen's, wise from age, met and for a brief moment time stopped. It was moments like these that sent a stab of guilt into Hiruzen's heart because it was partly his fault that Naruto suffered so but at the same time a thrill that he had never felt before came over him. The thrill was because of the understanding that it was these moments that he fully understood that he had been forgiven, for everything and anything that he had done to cause the boy, no man, pain.

Naruto nodded, turned, and left without another word. Inu soon disappeared leaving the old Hokage alone. Hiruzen stood up from his chair and looked out the large window. He looked over the village and thought about the future that might happen. If Naruto was ever accepted by the people, he would make a fine Hokage.

Naruto unrolled the scroll and searched it for the thing that the Third was talking about. It only took him three minutes before he found it. It was a simple storage seal with writing under it saying, _V.T._

Naruto placed his hand on the seal and pulsed his chakra. A poof of smoke and in his hand was a small scroll. He unrolled it and read the short note:

_Sealed into the seal below is a scroll of my own creation. I've never named it and still refuse to do so. I leave it to you, finder of this scroll. The sealed scroll has some complex sealing on it that allows anyone to create any field and make it appear above the scroll. You will understand this by applying chakra to the middle of the paper and seeing the results. This scroll also has the capability of sending one to four people into an illusion that will simulate any real life encounter you might go up against. Be warned, while you can't die you can feel pain and some of the higher settings have Shinobi that are a little...twisted._

_Good luck to you finder-_

_Seo_

Naruto finished reading and looked below the writing to see a storage seal. He applied chakra to this and was amazed to find a four foot long scroll in his hand. He set it down on the ground and unrolled it gently. When it was fully unrolled, he looked at it and about choked. On the scroll, that was four feet by four feet, was the most complex sealing that he had ever seen, beside the seal on his abdomen. He couldn't even begin to comprehend the sealing that took place on the scroll and decided to try what the scroll had said, put some chakra into the middle of it. When he did he moved back from the paper and watched as particles of light began to rise from it. There were hundreds, no, thousands of them and he watched as each began to turn a different color. Soon enough the particles stopped moving and he was looking at a section of forest. The detail made it look like some one had actually cut out a chunk of forest and then shrunk it to the size of a four foot square.

He was even more startled when he heard a male voice speak from the scroll, "Well, I guess you activated the scroll. My name isn't important so just call me VT. This isn't actually me but a recording, of sorts, of my mind. Now before you start asking me random questions, like whom I am and where I'm from, I'll have to tell you that I can't. I can only help you with questions that are regarding this scroll. When you're ready, you can begin by telling me your name and describing the area that you're in."

Naruto started at the scroll for a second and finally said, "Naruto..." He didn't pay attention to the time as it passed because he was so absorbed in explaining the terrain that he was in. When he had gotten done with that VT had given him a scenario that he had to strategies out. That had made Naruto smile for one big reason, it was way more helpful than Shogi was when is came to training strategization. He had done well for a few minutes but then VT had taken control of the enemy Shinobi and then things went down hill fast. The battles were truly amazing because you could see everything. The individually thrown kunai, the hand seals that were used, and even the jutsu as lightning and fire roared across the battlefield.

Naruto sighed when he check the time and found that he only had ten minutes before Mizuki showed up. After having VT explain how to shut down the illusion, Naruto sealed the scroll away and put it into his kunai pouch for safe keeping. He had just set the Forbidden Scroll against the small cabin that was in the clearing before he heard someone come running toward the clearing. Some how he wasn't surprised when Iruka came out of the forest, he was the one that always found his clones after they had done a prank.

"Naruto, do you have any idea what you've done?" he yelled.

"What are you talking about, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked in fake confusion.

"You stole the Forbidden Scroll Naruto, what do you think I'm talking about?"

"Iruka-sensei, you're not making any scenes, I didn't steal anything."

"Then what's that over their," Iruka pointed toward the scroll that Naruto had leaned against the cabin.

"The Forbidden Scroll."

"That proves you stole the Forbidden Scroll!"

Naruto scratched the back of his head and said, "Iruka-sensei, I didn't steal it. I'm taking a test from Mizuki-sensei to become Chunin."

"To become Chunin? Wait, did you say that Mizuki had you do this?"

"Yeah, who else would have given me the test?"

"That means... Naruto you have to get out of here!"

At that moment Mizuki appeared in the trees and yelled, "Naruto, keep the scroll away for Iruka, he wants to steal it from Konoha and take it to our enemies."

Naruto looked between the two before saying, "Why should I trust you, Mizuki?"

"What?" Mizuki said roughly.

"Iruka has always worried about me and even bought me ramen from time to time. All you ever did was glare at me. I think you're the one that wants to steal the scroll."

Mizuki let out a bark of laughter, "You think Iruka likes you? You, the on that killed his family."

"I haven't killed anyone!"

"Oh yeah, let me tell you something, something that there's a law stopping us, the older generation, from telling you."

"Mizuki, don't!" Iruka yelled.

Naruto looked confused and interested at the same time and said, "What law, tell me."

"The law that was made be the Third Hokage, that prevented anyone from telling the younger generation, especially you, that you-"

"Mizuki!" Iruka bellowed but to no avail.

"-have the Kyuubi, the Nine Tailed Fox , that almost destroyed Konoha and killed hundreds, sealed inside you. You are the Kyuubi!"

Naruto looked up at him with confusion and fear said, "That's-that's not true!" He watched as Mizuki threw a wave of kunai at him and before he could jump out of the way he was tackled to the ground. He looked and saw that is was Iruka who tackled him ad that he now had some kunai protruding from his body.

"Don't listen to Mizuki, Naruto. It's true that when I first met you I hated you like the rest of the villagers but that changed when I saw how starved you were and realized that no demon would let themselves starve. Please Naruto, even if you still think I hate you, take the Forbidden Scroll to the Hokage, he'll protect you."

Naruto smiled softly and said, "Like I said Iruka-sensei, you worried about me. Anyway, who do you think gave me the Forbidden Scroll?"

"Naruto, what do you mean?" Iruka asked heavily.

Naruto got up from under Iruka, grabbing his arm on the way up, and helped Iruka to his feet. "What I mean is this," He said as he turned his eyes from Iruka to Mizuki. "Mizuki, before you kill Iruka and I, mind telling me who you were going to bring the Forbidden Scroll to?"

Mizuki snickered, "Why not, you're about to die anyway. I'm going to bring it to Orochimaru, in exchange he'll give me the power to crush everyone from this pathetic village!"

"Then I have nothing more to say to you, traitor. Inu, he's said enough, take him," Naruto said and sure enough Inu appeared behind Mizuki and with a quick strike to the neck, knocking him out cold.

Iruka looked form Naruto to the ANBU, then to Naruto, then the ANBU, then back to Naruto and said, "You told the Hokage. You knew it was a trick."

"There has never, in the history of Konoha, been a test that a Genin can take and become a Chunin right after graduation. I listened to your lectures more then you think, Iruka-sensei."

Inu jumped down from the tree and asked, "Naruto, does he need to go to the hospital?"

"No, the flak took most of the kunai. Iruka-sensei, how many actually got into you and which ones are they?" Iruka told Naruto and soon, and to the relief of Naruto and Inu, it was shown that only three actually got past the jacket and of those three the deepest only went a small ways in. Naruto tested the kunai for poisons but found none.

"Thank Kami," Iruka proclaimed. "Inu, you're going to take Mizuki to be interrogated right?"

"Yes."

"Then Naruto, did you want to go get something to eat? As a thanks for saving me."

Naruto looked at him for a second and said, "How do you feel about having reheated Venison Stew and meeting the most important person in my life sound?"

Iruka gave him a look but nodded his head anyway. They started tree jumping toward Konoha when Iruka said, "About the Kyuubi-"

"I've known about since I was young, Iruka-sensei."

"What? How?"

Naruto turned his eyes to Iruka and Iruka was startled by how old they looked. Naruto said, "I'm not an idiot, so when the villagers beat me on a daily bases calling me, 'Demon,' and, 'Kyuubi,' I didn't have a choice but figure it out.

Iruka nodded but kept his eyes downcast at the mention of the beatings.

Iruka was in shock. He had no idea that Naruto lived in a secret hideout of sorts. "Naruto, have you told anyone about this?"

Naruto nodded as he continued down the stairs, "Jiji and Inu are the only ones that know about it and now you do too."

Iruka felt honored that Naruto thought so highly of him, when he quiet obviously didn't know the hyperactive, no, that was a lie he lived. He gave Naruto a questioning look and thought, _Can I really say I know him? _Naruto lead him into a room that was obviously split between a kitchen and a living room.

"Otou-san!"

Iruka looked over just in time to see a white-haired girl come running from the living room area and slam into Naruto, wrapping her arms around him. He looked at Naruto's face and saw love in his eyes and a smile that showed real happiness, not the fake stuff the grin gave.

"Naruto, who is the girl and why did she call you Otou-san?" Iruka asked in confusion.

Naruto turned toward Iruka and said, "Iruka-sensei, this is Akara, my daughter."

* * *

Be sure to review, follow, and favorite. It is the best way to show your support to authors.

Until next time...  
Unbiased Abyss


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

It was finally the time for the team selections and Iruka was staring at the clock. He was thinking about Naruto as he watched the second hand tick away. It was only a few days ago that he had found out that not only was Naruto not the person he thought he was but he was also a father too. Shocked was an understatement...

**(Flashback)**

Naruto turned toward Iruka and said, "Iruka-sensei, this is Akara, my daughter."

Iruka stared... and stared... and stared... and-

"Iruka-sensei, are you-"

"Your daughter," Iruka said.

"Yes, Akara, my daughter."

Iruka looked down to the little girl and then back to Naruto. He said, "Your daughter?"

"Yes."

"Do you know where babies come from?"

Naruto's eyebrow started to twitch and he said, "Iruka-sensei, say hello to my daughter."

"Right," Iruka said quickly and he crouched down to look at the girl. She had white hair, grey eyes, pale skin, and a white cloth dress on. It was easy to tell, even at this young of age, that she would grow up to be a very beautiful women. He smiled and said, "Hello, Akara. My name is Iruka; I'm Naruto's Sensei at the academy." He reached out his hand and finished, "It's very nice to meet you."

Akara looked at his hand for a second before reaching her hand out as well. She shook his hand and Iruka wasn't surprised by the softness of her touch. Her voice was quiet, so unlike other children her age, "It's nice to meet you, Iruka..."

Iruka smiled at the obvious confusion she was under. She had no idea what kind of honorific to give her. He heard Naruto help her along by saying, "Nii-san."

Akara looked up at Naruto and after looking at him for a few seconds she nodded and said, "Iruka-nii-san." She gave a small yawn.

"Looks like you need to go to bed," Naruto said as he began guiding her out of the room. "Be right back, Iruka-sensei."

Iruka nodded and watched Naruto leave. While he looked at peace his mind was going a mile a minute trying to figure everything out. He decided that he might as well ask Naruto, it wasn't like he wasn't expecting questions.

When Naruto came back into he room he asked, "Did you want any tea?"

"Yes, please. There's something I wanted to ask you."

"I would be surprised if you didn't have questions. What is it you wanted to know?" Naruto asked as he opened a cabinet and pulled out a tea kettle.

"How old is she?"

"Eight," he answered as he filled the kettle with water and set it on the stove to boil.

"Isn't she a little small for an eight year old?"

"I can only guess, but my thought is that she was born prematurely."

Iruka nodded and then went to his next wonder, "She calls you Otou-san?"

"I am her father."

"Naruto, you're only fifteen and she's eight. You can't possibly be her father."

"I found her, eight years ago. She was in an alley and the only reason I even noticed her was because she let out a final pitiful cry. I barely heard it. When I check where the sound was coming from I found a baby underneath a newspaper. She was still bloody from birth, had mud on her from the ground on which she laid, and her umbilical cord was still attached, clamped off by a paper clip. I almost left her but from some act of Kami that little baby coughed and I picked her up on instinct. I brought her home, knowing I couldn't leave her after picking her up. I cleaned her, fed her, and have raised her as my own," Naruto's voice was rough as he spoke, like he was trying to bite back his anger. His last part on the other hand he didn't hold his anger back and it was clear that he was pissed, "So never tell me that she isn't my daughter and that I'm not her father. Jiji tried to take her once and I threw a cutting knife into his collar. This is a fair warning, don't try to take my daughter from me or I'll destroy this village to get her back."

Iruka watched the anger leave Naruto's eyes and he heard Naruto say, "The tea's ready, let's sit in the living room."

"Naruto, I'm sorry, I-"

"I know, Iruka-sensei," Naruto said with a sad smile. "You were only thinking about me and worried that I might have too much on my plate. I should have controlled my anger, I'm sorry."

Iruka smiled and followed Naruto to the living room and they were soon talking about the past, present, and the future of both their lives.

**(End Flashback)**

Now, here he was watching the clock tick away with only thirty seconds before he started to assign teams. He would have normally started by now but there was one thing missing from the classroom and that thing was a person, Naruto. Iruka just couldn't understand why he would be late on a day like this. He turned his head when he heard the door slid open and sighed in relief when he saw Naruto walk in.

"Sorry I'm late, Iruka-sensei. My neighbor is sick and I had to take care of them," Naruto said as he walked across the room.

Iruka caught the hidden meaning easily, Akara was sick. "How sick are they?"

"A high fever and a cough; I think it might just be a bad cold."

Iruka nodded.

"Who would want you to look after them when their sick, dobe?" Sakura asked in a snide tone.

"Yeah, you would be more likely to kill them then help," laughed Kiba.

A few more insults were thrown out from some of the class but Naruto didn't even acknowledge that they were talking. He simple walked over to a spot next to Shikamaru and waited for Iruka to begin.

"You could just rip one of their heads off and beat another to death with it," Shikamaru advised without raising his head from his arms.

Naruto raised an eyebrow and asked, "But wouldn't that be troublesome?"

"If they can't see that you've change in the period of a day from a spazmatic child to a calm man then they might just deserve the troublesomeness that would come from such an act. Anyways, it would get them to be quiet so I can sleep," Shikamaru replied.

Naruto stared at him for a moment and whispered, "Remind me to never piss you off."

Iruka cleared his voice and when all eyes were on him he began his speech. Naruto tuned it out, not because he was uninterested but because he heard the speech last night when Iruka wanted to practice it. The speech talked about how, even though they graduated, they will still have to work hard to become respectable Shinobi and about how they will have to rely on one another for everything. It wasn't long though until he got to the teams.

"... Team 7 will be Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, and Sasuke Uchiha. Your Jonin-sensei will be Kakashi Hatake.

"Team 8 will be Kiba Inuzuka, Hinata Hyuga, and Shino Aburame. Your Jonin-sensei will be Kurenai Yuhi.

"Team 9 is still in rotation.

"Team 10 will be Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi, and Ino Yamanaka. Your Jonin-sensei will be Asume Sarutobi.

"Always remember, in this world your strongest weapon is the bonds you share with others," Iruka finished with smile and disappeared in a cloud of smoke and leaves.

It was at that moment that the Jonin came in to collect their teams. Shikamaru stood from his spot when his team was called and said to Naruto, "If it makes you feel better, I feel sorry for you."

"I hate you," Naruto said as he laid his head down. He whispered to himself, "Kakashi you had better get here soon."

It was an hour later and Naruto had given up on praying to Kami. He glanced over and saw that Sakura was currently sitting next to Sasuke and was talking up a storm. Sasuke was looking out the window acting like he didn't care the the Jonin-sensei was late. Naruto sighed and stood up.

"Where are you going, dobe?" Sasuke asked.

"To the bathroom, want to join?" Naruto said as he walked out of the room. He went down the hall a short ways and turned into the bathroom. It was at that moment that a clone of him appeared. It took him years of practice with the technique but he was finally able to make the clone without hand seals and that stupid poof of smoke that always happened. He could now form them without giving away his position with the damnable smoke and the popping sound that was made when the jutsu was used. "Henge and go home. Make sure that Akara is alright and then stay there until I get back."

The clone nodded and asked, "What are you going to do to Kakashi?"

Naruto smiled, "I'm going to ask politely why he kept me away from my sick daughter."

The clone shivered and Naruto's tone and, after a quick henge, he left the bathroom with a shunshin.

Naruto waited a minute or two before he returned to the classroom. He sat down and pulled out a scroll from his pouch. Now that he wasn't worried about Akara he would be able to read and wait.

"Naruto-baka, what is that?" Sakura yelled from her spot.

"A scroll," he answered dully.

"What's in it?"

"Words."

Sakura's eyebrow twitched and that as when her inner self said, "_**Cha, he likes you so just offer a date and he'll tell you what's in the scroll, cha! When he tells you, you can just not go on the date.**_

She nodded to herself and walked over to Naruto, slowly. She sat down next to him and said, "I'll go on a date with you if you tell me?"

"We both know that you would just say no or say that no time works for you. Anyways, what makes you think I like you?"

"But-"

"Sakura," Naruto said with and even tone, "the Naruto you knew was a fake, a mask if you will. This is the true an me. Learn that quickly and you might be able to have a friend in me."

Sakura stared at him and said, "Like I would want to be your friend, dobe." She got up and walked back to her seat next to Sasuke. She may have looked mad on the outside but on the inside she as scared. She knew that this was a new Naruto and he scared her when he looked at her. His eyes were too old for someone so young.

It was two hours later that the door slid open and a man with gravity defying silver hair poked his head in. He saw Sakura and Sasuke staring at him and he saw Naruto reading a scroll. "Team 7?" he asked. He saw Naruto nod his head and said before Sakura could yell at him, "Meet me on the roof." He shunshined away.

Sakura and Sasuke ran out of the room but Naruto took his time to finish the paragraph he was on, put his scroll away, and then proceeded to walk to the stairs that would take him t the roof.

When Naruto made it to the roof, both Sakura and Sasuke sent him a glare. He ignored them and leaned against the concrete wall and waited for the sensei to start.

"Why don't we introduce ourselves?" the silver haired man said.

"What should we say?" Sakura asked.

"Well, your likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams of the future, that sort of thing."

"Can you show us how?" Sakura asked again.

He nodded and said, "My name's Kakashi. I have likes...and dislikes...hobbies...and I'll keep my dreams to my self."

Sakura and Sasuke bowed their heads thinking, _All we learned was his name._

Naruto laughed lightly.

"Okay, why don't you go first, pinky," Kakashi said.

"My name's Sakura. I like Sasuke-kun, I don't like Naruto, my hobbies are," she giggled, " and my dream is," she squealed.

"Alright, broody, you're up."

"Sasuke. I don't like anything, I have a lot of dislikes, my hobby is to get stronger, and my dream, no, ambition is to kill a certain someone."

"And you, Naruto."

"Wait," Sakura said. "How do you know Naruto's name?"

"Because I've met him before."

"Oh."

Naruto stayed leaning against the wall and said, "Name's Naruto. I like many things, I dislike some things, one of my hobbies is training, and my dream is my own." He raised his head so that Kakashi could see his glare and said, "Kakashi, my neighbor is sick and I had to wait for you."

Kakashi nodded slowly and felt a bead of sweat go down his back. "Right, then I won't take anymore of your time. Be at training ground seven for your survival test, six am."

"But we've done survival tests in the academy," Sakura said.

"This test is to see if you are cut out to be Genin. There is a sixty-six fail rate so come prepared." Kakashi stood up and said, "Oh and don't eat breakfast unless you want to throw it up." He disappeared in a shunshin.

Naruto walked to the stairs and was down them by the time other two noticed that he was gone. He made his way home and when he got there he heated up some chicken soup. He took that with him and nodded to the clone that was sitting on the couch, the clone disappear by fading out of existence.

He opened the door to Akara's room and found her sitting in the dark with an illusion battlefield hovering over the scroll he got a few days ago. She didn't move her eyes away from the illusion but said, "Welcome back, Otou-san."

"Here, I brought you something to eat," He said as he placed it on the end table next to her bed. "What are you doing?"

"Seo is teaching me," she answered.

Naruto looked at the scroll and said, "You haven't taught me."

Seo's voice came from the scroll, "You never asked. Now Akara, from were we left off..."

Naruto listened to VT talk and explain the strategy he was going through. While listening, Naruto climbed into the bed and, after moving Akara, sat down behind her and started to rub her temples as she rested against his chest.

**-The Choice-**

Naruto sat against a tree that was growing on the side of training field seven and pulled out a scroll from his pouch. He had left a clone at home today but he wasn't too worried since Akara had broken her fever the night before. It was about 5:50am and Naruto knew that Kakashi wouldn't be here until ten or eleven. He was here early because Akara was sleeping peacefully and it was a beautifully cool morning. He took a breath of the air and let it out. He smiled and went back to his reading.

Sakura and Sasuke got there five minutes later but neither talked to him. It was about four hours later that Kakashi appeared and said with a wave, "Yo."

"YOU'RE LATE!" Sakura yelled.

"Well you see, there I was on my morning walk when a black cat walked by. I had no choice but to find a new path for my walk but when I got farther down my new path another black cat walked by. I knew that it was getting serious so I jumped onto the nearest roof and started to head home as quick as possible but that was when I was attacked by six ninja black cats."

"YOU'RE LIEING!" Sakura yelled.

"I didn't even get to the part about all the cats coming together to form a super mega black cat," Kakashi said with a sigh. He pulled out an alarm clock and said, "This will go off at twelve. Before this goes off you must get," he raised a pair of bells in the other hand, "one of these from me. If you get one you get something to eat, but if you don't, not only do you not get to eat and tied to one of those pulls over there but you also will be dropped from the program."

That got Sakura and Sasuke's attention but Naruto simply continued listening and Kakashi finished, "You might want to come at me with the intent to kill."

"But, we could hurt you," Sakura said in fear.

"I'm a Jonin, I think I'll be fine. Go!" All three disappeared.

Kakashi sighed as he walked out into the middle of the clearing and waited for something to happen.

Naruto made several clones and had them move out into the forest, to surround the clearing, while he searched for Sakura and Sasuke. There has never not been a four man team, one Jonin and three Genin, so he knew that Kakashi was just setting them against each other. That meant that he wanted them to work together as a team. Teamwork was the answer to this test, he knew that, now all he had to do was convince the other two. _If I fail this test because of them and don't get to publicly claim Akara as my daughter I'm going to kill someone._

He moved with the silence and grace that he had worked so hard for and soon enough found Sakura from the rustling of leave, twigs, and the occasional muttering. Moving behind her he quickly put his hand over her mouth and said, "Sakura, it's Naruto."

Her screech of fear was blocked by Naruto's hand and after she calmed down she turned on him and said in anger, "What do you want, I'm trying to get a bell so that Sasuke and I can be on the same team?"

"You won't be on the same team with that kind of attitude. We should work together, Kakashi is just trying to trick us."

"Yeah right, our sensei wouldn't try to trick us."

_She clearly doesn't know Kakashi, _he thought before saying, "Listen, I have more to lose then both you and Sasuke if we don't pass, so you're going to help me whether you like it or not, understood?"

Sakura glared at him and walked away with a huff.

_Well, damn. On to Sasuke, _he thought as he moved away from Sakura. It was only a few minutes before he heard her scream and he said quietly, "Take it easier Kakashi, she's only a fan-girl and can't hope to deal with a real Shinobi." He moved quickly because, while he was good at covering his tracks, Kakashi was one of the best trackers in Konoha and it would only be a matter of time until he was found.

He made it to a clearing just in time to watch Sasuke get pulled into the ground and Kakashi say a remark and leave. He ether didn't notice Naruto, unlikely, or he just wanted to see what was going to happen. Naruto sighed as he walked into the clearing and heard Sasuke say, "Don't say anything, dobe."

"You know, if we worked together we could get a bell."

"I don't need yours or any ones help."

"Be that as it may, you're the one that's in a hole." He paused. "Kami, it's up to you to let me pass now," Naruto said as he looked into the sky. "Maybe I can get him to accept an apprenticeship?" he muttered as he walked out of the clearing.

Naruto walked out of the forest and over to Kakashi, who was standing in the center of the clearing. They stared at each other before Naruto said, "You're probably going to fail us, aren't you?"

Kakashi nodded.

"The answer is teamwork, isn't it?"

Kakashi nodded.

"Then can I pass?"

Kakashi shook his head.

"You know that I have to pass this test to publicly claim Akara as my daughter, right?"

Kakashi nodded hesitantly.

"Good," Naruto said as he bolted toward Kakashi. He launched a flurry of kicks and punches and when Kakashi jumped back for a reprieve Naruto started running to the side while throwing kunai.

The second Kakashi landed he was on the move to avoid the kunai that were flying his way. His eyes widened somewhat when the earth shot up in a spike right in front of him and he had to throw himself to the side so that he could avoid it. That was when he realized that he had lost Naruto and when he felt the ground shake he knew right where the blonde was.

The ground started to collapse around him and before he could jump away the ground under him fell down into the crater that was made. He looked up when he landed to see Naruto standing on the edge and asked, "You took the time to carve out this crater and you're up there, mind telling what you're up to?"

Naruto raised his hand and snapped his fingers. It was that moment that the ground fell away and Kakashi could see that there were explosive tags lining the crater. He sighed and said, "I shouldn't have asked."

The explosion was channeled upward and the flames and dust were rocketed into the air. Naruto sighed, "You should've stayed down there."

"Maa maa you'll get me next time," Kakashi said as he walked up behind Naruto with a kunai in one hand and his orange book in the other.

"Kakashi, do you really want to fight me with that book out?"

Kakashi looked at his book and said, "But I'm at a good part." His visible eyebrow widened when he saw Naruto pull out a kunai and he said, "Fine, I'm putting it away."

He had just gotten it into the pouch when Naruto was on him. Naruto's kunai fighting style was unique in the fact that he had incorporated an entire taijutsu to be used with or without kunai. It was a style that was mainly made for stabbings with two kunai, one in each hand, and Naruto was deadly effective with it because he could switch seamlessly from that style to a more flowing style that relied on the slashing of the kunai. He called the stabbing style, Iron, and the slashing one, Flow. When he was using both at the same time it was called, Flowing Iron, because it seemed like the kunai or his hands just warped around your defenses.

Kakashi cursed as he tried to keep up with Naruto's onslaught but it was to no avail as he felt cuts open on his arms and legs. The problem with kunai fights was that the person that had better taijutsu training would most likely win. This wasn't true, however, if the person you were fighting was trained in a kunai fighting style, like Naruto was. Kakashi dropped into a back roll and pushed off the ground with his arms. He launched into the air and landed on the branch of a tree. He sighed in relief but got it caught in his throat when he felt cold steel press against his back.

Naruto curse when the Kakashi in front of him popped into a cloud of smoke and he didn't get out of the way in time to dodge the kunai that entered the back of his head. Kakashi was surprised when the Naruto that he stabbed didn't burst into smoke but just suddenly disappeared. He looked into the clearing to see that Naruto was standing in he middle of it looking at some... Kakashi checked his belt loop and saw that the bells were gone, he cursed.

After waking up Sakura and digging out Sasuke, Kakashi roped Sakura to a training log an handed Naruto and Sasuke some bentos.

Kakashi started to speak when everyone was seated, Naruto and Sasuke, and quiet, Sakura, "I have seen what each of you are capable of and I can easily say that there is only one of you here that has the right to be a Genin." Sasuke smirked at that. "Naruto, you were the only one that should that you were ready to be a Shinobi."

"What?" Sasuke yelled. "He's nothing but a dobe, a dead last. How can you say that he is more ready than me, an Uchiha, to become a Genin?"

"That is precisely why you're not ready to be a Shinobi, Sasuke. You're arrogant and think that you can do everything by yourself. You're the kind of person that would get your team killed." He turned to Sakura and said, "Sakura, you do have the making of a fine Kunoichi but until you start to act your age and get over you childish obsession with Sasuke you will only ever be a detriment to a team." He looked at both Sasuke, who was glaring heavily, and Sakura, who had tears at the corners of her eyes, and said, "Naruto is the only one here that deserves to become a Genin because he cares for his team and knows that it isn't a game. He knows that life and death comes hand in hand for a Shinobi and he has come to accept that. He knows that he can't do everything by himself and even asked for both of yours help, but nether of you were willing to give it." He turned to Naruto and asked, "You have the bells, what will you do?"

Naruto pulled the bells out of his pocket and looked at them.

"How did you get the bells?" Sasuke asked.

"How do you think, I took them," Naruto answered darkly. "I have a reason that I want this team to pass, but I don't want to be on a team that will get me killed on our first C-rank mission." He looked at Sakura, "I know that Sasuke will only let his pride get in the way and pride has no place on a battlefield. I think that you could become a great Kunoichi if you tried, Sakura, and it is to you I leave the choice. I have two bells, who gets them?"

Sakura looked at Naruto, not the bells, Naruto, and saw that he was perfectly serious. She licked her lips and said, "I-I don't deserve to be a Kunoichi. All I've ever done is chase after Sasuke and look where that's gotten me. You and Sasuke should get the bells, I don't deserve it."

Naruto smiled, "Looks like I'm giving you my bell, Sakura."

"But-"

"You've faced that you have flaws and have accepted that. Now you can learn what it means to be a Kunoichi of Konoha. I meant what I said, you have the potently to be a fine Kunoichi and I won't let you give that up. I only have one question, if there had been three bells what would have been the meaning of this test?"

Sakura thought about it and it wasn't a second later that her head shot up and she said, "Teamwork."

"Good," Kakashi said with an eye smile. "Since two of you have figured out the meaning of the test, I'm going to give you one more chance to pass." He caught the bells that Naruto threw to him and as he walked away he said, "Don't feed Sakura."

Naruto watched Kakashi leave and when he lost sight of him, but knew that he was watching, he walked over to the pole that Sakura was tied to. In one swift motion, he cut the ropes with a kunai and held Sakura up by catching her by the arm.

"Naruto," she said, "what are you doing?"

"Letting you eat."

"But he said-"

"You're hungry and that will effect the team, I'm not, eat." Naruto handed the bento to her.

She looked at it and then finally accepted it. She sat down next to the poll and, right when she was about to take a bite, Naruto jumped in front of her. She was about to yell when a gust of wind blow by and she heard dirt pelt the poll above her. Behind Naruto she saw Kakashi appear out of a large cloud of smoke and dust, he looked angry.

"YOU," he said in furry, "pass." He eye smiled.

"I owe you one, Kami," Naruto muttered as he stood up. He looked down at Sakura and said, "Sorry about scaring you but I didn't want any dirt to get in your food. You really do look hungry."

"Thank you," Sakura answered slowly.

"We will meet here at eight every morning, train for a few hours, and then go pick up a D-rank mission," Kakashi said.

"Great, I'll see you around Kakashi," Naruto said as he walked toward town.

"He could at least call me sensei," Kakashi said.

Sasuke didn't say anything as he walked off and left Kakashi and Sakura alone. Kakashi turned to Sakura and said, "I have to go report your passing to the Hokage. You really should eat that before you head into town, Naruto's right, you do look hungry."

"Do we really have to wait for Kakashi?" asked a random Jonin.

"Yeah, we already know that he failed his team," said another.

Sarutobi sighed, "If he's not there is three more minutes then we'll continue with out him."

Right when the three minute mark rolled by did a poof of smoke appeared and Kakashi with it. He looked around, his orange book in his face, and said, "You see there were these ninja chipmunks and they-"

"I'm sure it's an interesting tale Kakashi but right now I would like to get this done," Hiruzen said.

"Right."

The Third looked at the Jonin-sensei that were in his office and said, "Jonin-sensei, report."

"Team 1, fail."

"Team 2, nope."

"Team 3, crying like babies."

"Team 4, not even returning to the academy."

"Team 5, I don't even want to talk about it."

"Team 6, even I was scared."

"Team 7, pass," Kakashi said.

"What?" yelled a Jonin.

"They passed," Kakashi repeated.

"I don't believe it, who did you have on your team?"

"Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha, and Naruto Uzumaki."

"That explains it, Sasuke must have wowed you because the other two are worthless," said the Jonin.

"Sasuke was the reason I almost failed them and it was Naruto who helped the team pass," Kakashi said.

"That's not possible, Naruto's an idiot."

"Naruto isn't the person you think he is. You'll find out what I mean soon enough," Kakashi said cryptically.

"Enough," Hiruzen said firmly. "Please, Miss Yuhi, continue."

"Team 8, pass."

"Team 9 is still in rotation. Team ten, pass."

Sarutobi nodded and said, "Thank you, everyone. You're dismissed."

Kakashi made to leave but was cut off by Kurenai and Asuma.

"Kakashi, you're coming to the celebratory dinner," Asuma said.

"What dinner?"

"Asuma and I were talking and decided that if our teams passed we would take them out together for a dinner between friends. We want you and your team to come," Kurenai said.

"I'll think about it."

Sakura took Kakashi and Naruto's advice and ate the bento. he was hungrier than she thought because she easily finished the entire thing. She was now walking around the village thinking about her life and what she wanted to do with it.

"Sakura!"

She turned and saw Ino running toward her. "Hi, Ino."

Ino looked at her oddly and said, "You didn't call me pig. You feeling okay?"

"I had a wake up call today, Ino. I'm rethinking my life."

"Well, while you're doing that my team and team 8 are have a celebratory dinner tonight and you should invite Sasuke to come."

"What about Naruto?"

"What about him? He would probably ruin it if he came."

"Ino, you can't tell me that you haven't noticed that he's changed?"

Ino studied her for a second and said, "Yeah I noticed, kind of hard with who my family is. It's...unsettling that someone can change that much over one night. Psychologically speaking, it doesn't happen."

"You mean that..."

"The Naruto we knew was probably an act that he put on. I know all that but I still think him an idiot, force of habit I guess."

"I'll invite Sasuke and Naruto. Wait, do you know where Naruto lives?"

Ino thought it over and said, "No, I never bothered to find out."

Kakashi walked into the BBQ place casually and immediately spotted the rest. They were seated at a large table that had an open wall facing the road outside. The wall could be closed easily by sliding doors but at the moment they were open, letting the cool night air in.

"Look who's here," Asuma shouted from his spot and was followed by an uproar of cheers and welcomes.

Kakashi walked over and sat down next to Kurenai and Kiba, the later looking a little put off. He looked around and noticed something, "Where's Naruto?"

"I was going to ask him to come but none of us know where he lives," Sakura said.

Kakashi nodded and said, "I believe that, out of everyone here I'm the only one that knows and is probably allowed in to his home."

"What do you mean?" Kurenai asked.

"Naruto is very selective on who he lets into his home. He'll only let you in if he trusts you with the life of his most precious person."

"Who's that?" Ino asked.

"That's something you'll have to ask Naruto."

"Then is anyone else allowed into his home?" Hinata stuttered.

"Besides me; the Hokage and recently Iruka, your academy sensei."

"Hold, on," Ino said. "Only three people in the entire village are allowed to enter Naruto's home?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Kurenai asked.

Kakashi was about to answer when he saw the devil walking. Naruto was just walking down the road next to he opened wall and with him was Akara. He pointed, "Speak of the devil."

Everyone turned and saw Naruto, who had also seen them. Naruto smiled and said, "It's not nice to point Kakashi."

"You know you could try to call me sensei," Kakashi retorted.

"I could but how long have we known each other?"

"Good point."

Ino cleared her throat and Naruto and Kakashi turned to the crowd of people. Naruto asked, "Did you need something Ino?"

"Yeah, who's that girl with you? Is she your neighbor or something?" Ino asked.

Naruto nodded and said, "I can only answer that question and then I have to go, dinner with the Hokage that I can't be late for." Naruto smiled as he put his hand on Akara's shoulder and said, "This is Akara, my daughter."

Everyone fell silent and watched Naruto and Akara walk away. It was Kurenai that finally said something, "Did he say daughter?"

"Yeah," Kakashi answered, "that little girl is Akara Uzumaki, Naruto's daughter."

"Wait you knew that he had a daughter?" Asuma asked.

"Yeah, I meet her when she was three."

"How old is she now?"

"Eight."

"Then she can't be his, that would make Naruto seven when he had her," Shikamaru said.

Kakashi sighed, "He found her."

"Found her?" Hinata asked.

"Kami, I'll get you for this Naruto. He found her in an alley way when he was seven. He saved her life by taking her home with him."

"But, I thought Naruto was an orphan? Who took care of the baby?" Sakura asked.

"Naruto is an orphan and he has raised her on his own since he found her."

Silence went over the group and it was Asuma who broke it, "I've heard being a single parent was hard, but being a single parent while you're still a child yourself, I can't imagine the difficulty."

Kakashi nodded and said, "There is no doubt that that girl is his daughter, maybe not by birth but his makes more than up for it by his love for her."

"You say that pretty easily," Kurenai said.

Kakashi looked at her, "Naruto would fight ten Kyuubi at once if it would make her smile. Yes, I can say that very easily."

* * *

Be sure to review, follow, and favorite. It is the best way to show your support to authors.

Until next time...  
Unbiased Abyss


	6. Chapter 6

Diclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

**(Time skip- a few days later)**

It was a sunny day and team ten had just gotten done with their training. Asuma decided to let them have a break while he went to pick up a D-rank mission for them to do. Shikamaru was laying in the soft grass staring at the few clouds that were in the blue sky with Choji sitting next to him eating chips. Ino was resting against a tree that was close by.

"It's still a little shocking to know that Naruto is a dad," Ino said.

"What's so shocking about it?" Shikamaru asked. "I'm not saying that it isn't a surprise but is it really that hard to imagine Naruto picking a kid up off an alley floor and taking care of it?"

"Yeah, but he knows the Hokage doesn't he, why not bring the baby to him?" Choji asked.

"I'm not sure, maybe he didn't know him back then," Shikamaru answered.

Choji nodded and said, "If he had a kid that entire time, why didn't he ask anyone for help? My family, along with both of yours, would have helped him."

"There's a lot about Naruto that we don't know. We can't base anything off of the Naruto we thought we knew because that was just him putting on an act," Ino said with her hand on her chin.

Shikamaru closed his eyes for and thought about all that he knew about Naruto. While Choji and Ino talked. He figured out that Naruto was acting about three years ago, but he didn't know why he would put on that act. He could've started as a way to get attention but then why would he continue it for so long? His real self is vastly different from his acting self and there really wasn't a reason to keep up the act after a period of time because his daughter would have given him the attention he craved. Unless it wasn't for the attention at all and he was hiding who he really was, but from who? While there was a lot that Shikamaru knew about Naruto there was even more that he never even considered. Why did he wait until after becoming an official Genin to go out with Akara in the public? It was obvious he never did before then because he would have at least heard about him being with a child. So what did he get from becoming a Genin that would make, no, allow him to do so? He didn't have time to get any pay and being a Genin wasn't so great a rank to bring his daughter out with him after never doing it. That meant that it had to be the protection it gave him. If anyone attacks him or his family then the attackers can be charged with treason and can be immediately executed after interrogation. Why would he need that kind of protection? Shikamaru opened his eyes and sat up.

Ino stopped talking to Choji and asked, "What did you think of?"

He sighed, "There's more to Naruto then first meets the eye. He acted for so long to make it so that anyone that knew him or heard of him thought that he was an open book and they allowed their assumption to fill in blanks that were there. I can't say anything yet but I do know one thing, Naruto has a secret and it's not his daughter."

"I still can't get over Naruto being a dad, I wouldn't have believed it if it wasn't for Team Seven's sensei telling us about it," Kiba said as he and the rest of his team walked down the road. They were on their D-rank mission for the day and were heading to the house that they had to paint the fence of.

"It explains his new character well," Shino said.

"But he never said anything, someone could have helped him," Hinata said in her usual stutter.

Kurenai looked down at that comment. Being older then them she knew about Naruto containing the Kyuubi, she knew that was the reason he couldn't and wouldn't ask for help. It was very clever of him to wait until he was an official Genin before he went into the public with her since no villager will dare attack him now that he has the law on his side. The rumors were already going around and Kurenai was sure that the entire village knew about Naruto's daughter, Akara.

"Kurenai-sensei," Kiba said, "did you know about Naruto having a kid?"

"No, I didn't. It seems the Kakashi and Hokage-sama kept the knowledge a secret." That was an understatement. Not even the council knew about it and, from what Asuma told her, they talked about Naruto every meeting.

"Then why didn't they help him?" Hinata asked.

Kurenai smiled, "I know that both of them did. I don't know how but know that Hokage-sama would never let a child raise a baby alone and Kakashi isn't the kind of guy to just sit around, even though he's lazy."

"He could have told us," Kiba said with a huff.

"Would you have believed him?" Kurenai asked.

"No, no one in the class would have," Shino answered before Kiba could. "He had us all thinking that he was an idiot but that wasn't the case. How do I know this you ask? I know because of the over night change that Naruto went under from his old self to his real self. People can change their personalities over time but it is impossible to do so over night, that means that he was acting at least some of the time. He want us to think him a fool."

"But why?" Hinata asked.

Shino looked at her and said, "There's not enough information to answer that."

"So all we do know is that he kept his daughter a secret for a reason," Kiba said.

Kurenai looked back at them as she walked up to the front door of the house that their mission was at. They truly had no idea how much of a mystery Naruto truly was. She knew as much as the rest of the people in the village and the little bit she was told by Kakashi, even then it was like looking at a picture that was only half painted. She wondered as she knocked on the door, _How much are you truly hiding, Naruto._

Sakura followed Naruto as he helped her through a kata of a taijutsu that she was learning. She had decided to become the best Kunoichi that she could be and not let both Kakashi and Naruto down. They said that she had potently and she as going to push that to it's limit. It was during the first day of training that Kakashi-sensei had pointed out that she needed work on her taijutsu. Just because she could do the katas perfectly didn't mean that she could fight, Naruto had been the one that demonstrated her inability to fight in a spar. They had both used the academy taijutsu and she had lasted about five seconds before he had her taken down.

Naruto had volunteered to help her with her taijutsu and now he would go over a kata of a new taijutsu with her and spar with her every day. He said that she should have the new taijutsu mastered in about two months if she practiced at home every day for an hour. He was patient with her and answered every question that she asked. He was kind but he was also very strict and corrected every mistake she made quickly.

It was clear to every one that Sasuke didn't like Naruto. Maybe it was the fact that Naruto was stronger than him or something of that nature but for some reason he just didn't like Naruto. Naruto would always try to talk to the Uchiha but it would always end with Sasuke saying that he didn't need Naruto's help. It clearly frustrated Kakashi-sensei when ever this happened but he could do very little about besides keep teaching his students.

"Very good Sakura, we'll rest until Kakashi gets back," Naruto said as he sat down. Kakashi had left to go the Hokage Tower after being told the Hokage wanted him by a messenger.

"Thank Kami, it hurts to move," Sakura said and she laid down on the ground. Her relationship with Naruto was complicated but if she had to settle it down to something she would say that he was like a big brother to her now. It was easy to see that he was far more mature that anyone else his age, even some people twice his age, and Sakura knew that it came from the fact that he had raised Akara by himself. She had asked him, the day after he had told her and the rest of the Genin found about Akara, why he didn't tell anyone and he simple smiled and said, 'We humans are materialistic creatures and it was only with proof that we truly believe anything. Tell me, would you have believed me if Akara hadn't been with me last night?'

She knew the answer to that, no, she wouldn't have. It didn't feel strange to say that she thought of him as a big brother since he only ever helped her and gave her advice in her training. She had asked him if he still liked her and he had said that his old self was only ever an act and that, while he did want to be her friend, he wasn't interested in her that way.

Kakashi appeared by shunshin and said, "Naruto, come with me. You're needed at the Hokage Tower."

The Third looked over the people in his office. There was a middle aged couple that looked to be in their late forties early fifties, and a younger couple that looked to be in their early twenties. The thing that bugged him greatly was the fact that the women each had white hair and grey eyes. These people were the current and future heads of the Shiro clan. Shiro, meaning white, referred to the color of the pure-blooded clansmen's hair. They were here for a meeting about their clan joining Konoha. Hiruzen remember the last time that they were here because he had been at a meeting with the Fire Daimyo at the time and his advisers, Homura and Koharu, had been the ones that meet with them. The thing that unsettled him was that the last time they were here matches perfectly to when Naruto found Akara. He had mad the mistake of commenting on their hair color and the women's eye color that he had only ever seen the combination on one person in the village. They informed him that it was impossible because the eye color on a female was only passed through their clan and only pure blooded females had the grey eye color and they had demanded to meet the person that he had mentioned.

Now here he sat waiting for his messenger to bring Kakashi to him. He didn't have to wait long before Kakashi walked in from the door. Kakashi took one look at the others in the room and his eyes widened somewhat. "Good," Hiruzen said, "Kakashi I need you to bring Naruto here." Kakashi looked at him for a moment before he nodded and shunshined away.

"Is this Naruto the one that you were talking about? Strange name for a girl," Yuki, the female head, said.

Hiruzen smiled, "Naruto is a boy, but it is still a strange name."

"Why have you called for him?" Akiyo, the male head, asked.

"That will become apparent when he gets here," the Third said. His attention turned to the door as it opened and in walked both Naruto and Kakashi.

Naruto took one look at the people in the office and he immediately shot a look at Hiruzen. It hurt the Third to imagine how Naruto must be feeling right at this moment. He had no doubt that Naruto suspected/knew that these people were related to Akara and that he now had a fight on his hands.

"Naruto allow me to introduce my guests." He waved his hand toward the older couple and said, "Akiyo and Yuki, they are the current heads of the Shiro clan." He waved toward the younger couple, "Takashi and Kiu, they are the next in line to lead their clan."

Naruto bowed to them and introduced himself, "My name is Naruto Uzumaki. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Akiyo bowed back slightly, "The same to you young man. It is hard to find young these days that mind their manners."

"I thank you for the compliment," Naruto said as he straightened from his bow and turned to Hiruzen. "You needed me?"

The Third sighed, "Naruto, can you tell me the exact date you found Akara."

Naruto's eyes hardened but his voice was still polite an calm as he said, "I found her the third of April, Hokage-sama."

"And how closely does she resemble my guests?" Hiruzen said and then swallowed a lump. It killed him to put Naruto through this.

Naruto paused for a second and after he mastered his eyes and dropped the glare he turned to the others in the room. He looked at them for only a second before he said, "She could easily be their daughter, Hokage-sama."

"It can't be," Kinu said.

Naruto looked at her as asked, "What do you mean?"

"Naruto," the old Sarutobi said, "Can you tell me the exact location of where you found Akara."

"I found her in the alley between Mikoto's Market and Do It Yourself Laundry, Hokage-sama."

"impossible," Takashi said.

Naruto turned fully to the Shiro in the room and said, "Mind telling me what this is about?"

"Do you know where that girl is right now?" Yuki asked.

"Yes, I do. Why do you want to know?"

Hiruzen's preparation for his heart failed and he was filled with grief. Naruto was doing a great job at acting like he hadn't a clue about what they were talking about but Hiruzen knew that he knew.

"She's my daughter," Kinu said with a cry.

"You're daughter?" Naruto asked in fake bewilderment.

"Yes, her daughter," Akiyo said. "We were here eight years ago discussing a contract about Konoha sending some of its missions to our clan. During that time Kinu, our daughter, was pregnant and gave birth. She and her husband, Takashi, were young then and believed themselves unready for the responsibility of a family. They wanted to do more things before they settled down. I and my wife were told years latter by our daughter, who was at the time breaking under the guilt. It turns out that she and Takashi agreed to kill their baby so that they would have to give up their wild lifestyle. They were young and it sounded like a good idea to them at the time. So, Takashi took the newborn and instead of killing it out right because he couldn't bring himself to do so. He chose to hide the baby in an alley way and leaving it there to die.

"But you have just informed us that the baby in fact didn't die but was saved. She has probably wondering just who she really is and where her real family is at all her life. If you could, young man, could you please bring her here so that she can meet her real family?"

Naruto nodded slowly and shunshined out of the room. Kakashi was watching the whole thing with a feeling of dread. These people would see Akara and want her back and since they are technically her bio-logical family there was nothing Naruto could do but bring it to the Civilian Council and they hated him. _If you fight, I'll stand by you until the end, Naruto._

It was only a few minute before Naruto walked back into the office. Behind him walk in Akara, who immediately started to stare at the Shiro that were there.

"By Kami, she really is a Shiro," Yuki said.

Kinu rushed over to Akara saying, "My baby," over and over again. When it seemed that she was about to latch onto the small girl, Akara stepped behind Naruto and kept him between her and Kinu.

"No, it's alright you don't have to be scared. I'm your mother," Kinu said as she dropped to her knees and held her arms out.

Akara stared at her and then looked at the rest of the Shiro. When she finally moved her sight back to Kinu, she saw that Takashi had moved over next to his wife and was holding his hand out. He said, "I'm your dad, your real dad."

Akara's eyes hardened and she stepped out from behind Naruto. She walked toward them but stopped just before she was in their reach and said, "Why?"

"What do you mean why, honey. We're your parents, aren't you happy to see us?" Kinu asked. She reached her hands out to grab Akara, but Akara took a step back to stay out of her grasp. It was at this moment that Yuki and Akiyo noticed that something was wrong.

"Why did you leave me to die?" Akara asked, her quiet voice filled the room.

Takashi started to cry and said, "We were foolish teenagers back then and didn't know how to take care of a baby. We-"

Akara cut him off, "You wanted to continue you lifestyle unchanged and I got in the way of that."

"No," Kinu yelled. "It was our selfishness that caused us to do it. Please, we just want to be a family again."

Akara looked at her and said calmly, "We never were a family. You abandoned me to die, you were simply my executioners."

Takashi looked to the floor and Kinu cried even harder. She looked to her parents and said, "Please, I just want my baby."

"Hokage-sama," Yuki said, "we request that this girl-"

"Akara," Akara said.

Yuki looked at the girl for a second and then said, "-that Akara be moved into our custody. She is obviously my daughter's child and you should be obligated to allow her real family to take her."

"I'm afraid I can't get involved," Sarutobi said. "This isn't a Shinobi matter and must be first taken up with Akara's current family."

"Then bring them here," Akiyo said.

"I am here."

All eyes turned to Naruto. Yuki said, "Then get your parents to that we may speak with them about this matter."

"I'm an orphan."

"Then get your guardian," Akiyo said.

"I don't have a guardian."

"Then how are you related to Akara?" Yuki asked, her voice a little louder then she might have wanted.

"Otou-san," Akara said.

"Wh-what?" Takashi asked.

"He's my Otou-san," Akara repeated.

Akiyo turned to Hiruzen, "This is nonsense, please have Akara's guardians brought here."

"Akara's guardian is here, Akiyo-san," the Third said. He pointed to Naruto, "That's him."

Yuki looked at Naruto and said, "You're only a child yourself you couldn't have raised her long."

"I'm the one that found her in that alley and I'm also the one that raised her. Akara has been my daughter since the day I found her," Naruto said.

"You're lying," Takashi yelled. "You're way too young to have taken care of our baby!"

"I was seven at the time and I'm fifteen now. If you don't believe me then ask Hokage-sama."

All eyes turned to Hiruzen and all he could do was nod.

Akiyo looked at Naruto and said, "You are a strong young man to have taken care of a baby at such a young age but we are her family. You have to see that."

Naruto nodded and looked down to Akara, "Your choice."

"Then," Akara said, "I will be staying with you, Otou-san."

Naruto looked back up and said, "You heard her."

Yuki sighed, "I didn't want to do this but you leave me no choice. Hokage-sama, I would like to take this to your Civilian Council."

Naruto let out a short dry chuckle. "How would you present your case I wonder? Just by the fact that these two abandoned Akara when she was just born shows that they cared more about themselves than their own daughter. What happens if they decide that it's too hard to take care for her? Will they just leave her on the side of the road and wave as they walk away or get the courage to kill her outright? I'm afraid you don't have a case, Shiro-san."

"I'm afraid Naruto is right. Since he is a Shinobi of this village this would have to go through me first and you don't have anything going for your case. I'm afraid that I'll have to reject your petition, which you can only make if you're a Konoha Shinobi, mind you," Hiruzen said. He could barely keep his smile off his face. "Thank you for coming Naruto, Akara, and Kakashi. You can leave now." As the door shut Naruto heard Hiruzen say, "Now, about joining the village..."

Akara hugged Naruto tightly as he cooked dinner. He patted her head and she said, "I was scared, Otou-san."

"I was too, Akara, but I would have never given you up," Naruto said. "I love you, Akara."

"I love you, Otou-san."

* * *

Be sure to review, follow, and favorite. It is the best way to show your support to authors.

Until next time...  
Unbiased Abyss


End file.
